Overripe tomatoes were hurled in a massive red food fight today in the town of Bunol, Spain. The La Tomatina festival -- held each year on the last Wednesday of August -- evolved from a street fight in the 1940s when a group of young men who wanted to participate in the "gigantes y cabezudos" parade used tomatoes from a vegetable stand as weapons. An estimated 22,000 people showed up this year for the food fight. --Lloyd Young (13 photos total)

Revelers take part in the annual "Tomatina" festivities in the village of Bunol, near Valencia on Aug. 28. Some 22,000 revelers hurled 130 tons of squashed tomatoes at each other drenching the streets in red in a gigantic Spanish food fight known as the Tomatina. (Gabriel Gallo/AFP/Getty Images)

Young people take part in the traditional tomato fight 'Tomatina' during the week of fiestas in Bunol, Spain, Around 22,000 people attended the 69th edition of the traditional tomato throwing festival. (Gustavo Grillo/EPA) #

A woman lays in a puddle of tomato juice during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, 50 kilometers outside Valencia, Spain, on Aug. 27. The streets of an eastern Spanish town are awash with red pulp as thousands of people pelt each other with tomatoes in the annual "Tomatina" battle that has become a major tourist attraction. At the annual fiesta in Bunol on Wednesday, trucks dumped 125 tons of tomatoes for some 22,000 participants, many from abroad to throw during the hour-long morning festivities. (Alberto Saiz/Associated Press) #

A man stands in a doorway during the annual "Tomatina" festivities in the village of Bunol, near Valencia on Aug. 27. Some 22,000 revelers hurled 130 tons of squashed tomatoes at each other drenching the streets in red in a gigantic Spanish food fight known as the Tomatina.(Gabriel Gallo/AFP/Getty Images) #

A man attempts to clean the remains of tomatoes from outside his house after the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, 50 kilometers outside Valencia, Spain, on Aug. 27. The streets of an eastern Spanish town are awash with red pulp as thousands of people pelt each other with tomatoes in the annual "Tomatina" battle that has become a major tourist attraction. At the annual fiesta in Bunol on Wednesday, trucks dumped 125 tons of tomatoes for some 22,000 participants, many from abroad to throw during the hour-long morning festivities. (Alberto Saiz/Associated Press) #